


The Day Before Forever

by cereus



Category: 19th Century CE RPF, Austrian History, Elisabeth - Levay/Kunze, Young Wizards - Diane Duane
Genre: Flirting with death, Historical Fantasy, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-10
Updated: 2017-06-10
Packaged: 2018-11-12 06:50:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 409
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11156535
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cereus/pseuds/cereus
Summary: When the great ones met to make their Choice, of what sort of city Vienna would be, sie was there.  As sie always is…Death stood, all in black and glittery blue, hir hair a cloud of gold around hir head. Physically, towards the center of the crowd, but somehow utterly apart from it.





	The Day Before Forever

**Author's Note:**

> (Because Elisabeth das Musical reminds me of Wizard’s Holiday except set in the Austrian Empire, and even more Der Tod/Death has a very Esemeli/Ictanike vibe to him. Destructive and creative-in-destruction at once. Granted that situation was a lot nicer than the Austrian Empire.)
> 
> If you haven’t seen Elisabeth das Musical, you can pretty much take this as a straight-up Young Wizards/Austrian History crossover or AU. :)
> 
> If you haven’t read Young Wizards, consider this just a Prologue of sorts…

When the great ones met to make their Choice, of what sort of city Vienna would be, sie was there.  As sie always is…

Death stood, all in black and glittery blue, hir hair a cloud of gold around hir head. Physically, towards the center of the crowd, but somehow utterly apart from it.

The spokesman of the Hapsburgs spoke in a voice strong and proud and utterly without uncertainty, “The Empire will stand forever, this we have chosen, and this we have foreseen, and this we shall cause to come to pass.  And it will be good.”  A murmur of assent went up from the crowd.  But it was not unanimous.

The young Wittelsbach stood to the side, his face the opposite of certainty.

“You see what’s wrong here?” asked Death, suddenly at his shoulder, hir face shifting like mercury to show grave concern.

“They didn’t even invite everyone.  I don’t see any farmers, or laborers, or craftsman.  I don’t think that’s how a Choice is supposed to be made.”  He took a breath, “…and they’ve built a trap for themselves.”

Sie nodded, “So you see it too, the day after forever, where they may find they need to change, and find themselves unable to.”

He just nodded sombrely, but with a hint of nervousness showing in the movement.

“I can help with that, or rather help you save them.  I can give you that power, and give you a life long enough to last until that day, in whatever form you so choose.” Sie lifted a strand of hair away from his face.

“No.” He said.

“I suppose not.  You are far too in love with me to desire that.”

Sie passed her hand over his face, cupping his cheek and he trembled under the touch.

“Yes”, he breathed out softly.

“But,” he said, determination in his voice, “Let the power I speak of pass through my line, the power to see the choices that others have closed off and to speak those choices so others can see them as well.  The power to give back the liberty that was lost.  ..and make sure they endure without serious interruption until the day after forever - when they will be needed to change the world.”

“The day after forever.” sie agreed and smiled again, a smile somehow both comforting and hungry.

“Now let us seal this promise with a kiss” sie said, and lifted his palm to hir mouth.

 


End file.
